Kagome the Huntress
by Kokoro no kuro
Summary: The Hero of Time exists to serve and protect the people of Hyrule, including every last Goron, Zora, and -yes- Gerudo. It's rather unfortunate, then, that Kagome didn't want to be rescued.
1. Prologue

**Hi there! I'm Kokoro no Kuro, and have adopted this wonderful little fic from TriforceandSheikahArts. The prologue through chapter 5 belong to her, and I'll have chapter 6 up soon (hopefully ^^) I have only made a few changes in terms of spelling and such, but overall it's pretty much the same.**

Kagome the Huntress

**Summary:** She was abandoned and left alone in the howling winds of the Gerudo Desert, only to be found by the second in command Gerudo herself, Nabooru. Being taken back to the Gerudo Fortress and being raised to be the next top Gerudo, everyone was positive that she would be the next best female to ever have risen within the Clan. But when tragedy strikes and events rise up that causes the Gerudos to become enemies with one another, what will happen to the young girl as she's forced to flee her home in the Desert?

_**Kagome, the Huntress**_

_**Pairing: Link/Kagome eventually**_

_**Prologue: How it all began**_

"Damn that Ganondorf!" A young and beautiful Gerudo woman by the name of Nabooru grunted as she tried to make her way through the sweltering winds of the Gerudo Desert. "Leaving me to do all of the dirty work..." she hissed underneath her breath as she pulled her mask that concealed her face further upwards. The mask both doubled as protection from the harsh desert winds and a cover for her identity.

"I don't understand why it is that I have to go through the trouble of fetching these items." Nabooru's amber eyes narrowed upon thinking back to her orders to fetch the various items she was sent out for. More than likely, she had to go and get them because no one else wanted to.

Even though she was second in command of the entire Gerudo clan, compared to Ganondorf—who was the true ruler by their supposed destiny and way of living—her ideals and ways of wanting to get things done weren't seen as proper and were pushed aside. Nabooru detested when things like that happened, especially when Ganondorf did it on purpose. Exactly like what he had just a few hours prior to sending her out on this pointless, time consuming hunt. Originally, she had just suggested that the Gerudos should practice their skills and try to hone their techniques even more by training the younger troops. This would help both generations improve themselves and become greater fighters. But _no_, when Ganondorf heard about her idea, he rejected it senselessly, and instead came up with a rather stupid and bizarre idea; having certain Gerudos—Nabooru included—head all throughout Hyrule from both to the South of the Desert all the way to the stupid, probably non-existent, Kokiri Forest to find these 'items' that Ganondorf wanted.

He called the game a 'treasure hunt,' but Nabooru found it to be more of a pointless hunt than a treasure hunt in general. Actually, it wasn't even a true hunt at all. It was more as though she were just sent out to find these useless and unnecessary things as a way to get her out of the fortress and out of Ganondorf's way. Allowing him to do whatever he wanted.

She grit her teeth at the thought. Hissing with displeasure and slinging the sack filled with her items over her right shoulder, she continued to walk down the old, winded dirt path, hoping to make her way back to the fortress by early daylight. But she stopped dead in her tracks upon hearing a wailing sound coming off somewhere to the side of the road.

"_Waahhhh!"_

A look of surprise crossed Nabooru's face as the realization of what the cries were came to mind. A child's cry…

"Huh?" She dropped the sack and diverted her attention towards the west. "What the...?" she blinked and then slowly reached for her sword—just for caution's sake. Assuming that it must have come from some travelers and hoping to get by undetected and unseen, Nabooru quickly made her way off the stone covered pathway and into the piles of sand.

Slowly making her way through the sand so as to not be noticed, Nabooru continued to creep closer to the cries, listening as they got louder and louder with each passing second.

"_Waahhhh! Waahhhh! Waahhhh!"_

Feeling her eyebrow beginning to twitch as the sound of the cries didn't seem to be coming to a halt, Nabooru just decided to make a run for the sound so that she could get the infernal noise to deteriorate. Pushing herself to run as fast as she could through the sand with her hand gripping the hilt of her weapon tighter, Nabooru pushed herself to the extreme to once again come to a sudden halt. With eyes growing wide the size of dinner plates and her weapon easily dropping from her hand, Nabooru could only stare in shock towards what she saw just inches from her.

"**Oh the Din."**

Because just inches from her was a small basket, an infant crying away inside of it.


	2. A Locket By Another Name

_**Kagome, the Huntress**_

_**Pairing: Link/Kagome eventually**_

_**Chapter One: A locket by another name...**_

**Recap**

Feeling her eyebrow beginning to twitch as the sound of the cries didn't seem to be coming to a halt, Nabooru just decided to make a run for the sound so that she could get the infernal noise to deteriorate. Pushing herself to run as fast as she could through the sand with her hand gripping the hilt of her weapon tighter, Nabooru pushed herself to the extreme to once again come to a sudden halt. With eyes growing wide the size of dinner plates and her weapon easily dropping from her hand, Nabooru could only stare in shock towards what she saw just inches from her.

"**Oh the Din."**

Because just inches from her was a small basket, an infant crying away inside of it.

-o0o0o-

Cautiously taking small steps forward—as to try not to scare the baby—Nabooru approached the basket and knelt beside it. Leaning in close to try and get a better view, Nabooru was met with the sight of a pair of amethyst eyes staring right back towards her. Titling her head to the side, the Gerudo cocked a brow as the baby suddenly began to squeal and reach its small hands forward. Nabooru smiled as she stared towards the child. Looking at the baby's appearance carefully, Nabooru took note of the splotch of black hair that was draped atop the baby's head, the pointed ears, and the light pale skin. But what stuck out the most to the Gerudo were the child's eyes. Never before had she seen a child—either male or female—with such bright, shining eyes. The color itself was a surprise; such a rare shade of amethyst was not seen on people quite frequently.

However, what had Nabooru puzzled the most was the sex of the child. Was it a boy or a girl? Hopefully the latter, but if the child was a male there was nothing that she could do about it. Scrunching her gaze, Nabooru looked towards the child cautiously, only to have something shimmering catch her attention.

"Huh? What the…?" Reaching downwards into the basket, the female Gerudo took note of a small heart shaped necklace buried deep underneath the sheet—only a tiny part had been poking out. "Hmm," Nabooru sighed and reached for the necklace, easily pulling it out of the basket. Upon closer inspection of the object, she realized that it was pure gold—she had been a thief long enough to know the real stuff when she saw it. Arching a brow, she looked down towards the baby, who stared up towards her adoringly. Nabooru couldn't help but smile again at the sight. This baby was just too cute!

Then, redirecting her attention back towards the necklace, Nabooru felt something on the back as her fingers drummed against the necklace. Flipping the small heart along with the chain, Nabooru realized that what she had felt was actually an inscription.

'_**Well I'll be damned,'**_ she thought, reading over the word.

"Ka-go-me," she spoke the word through syllables, trying to pronounce it as best as she could. "Hmm, who could that be?"

"_Ahh ha, ha,"_ the baby cooed, then catching Nabooru's attention.

"Huh?" Nabooru looked towards the child and saw her smiling, looking even happier than she did before. An invisible question mark hovered about her head as she tried to peace together what could have made the baby suddenly smile like that… and then it hit her. The inscription on the back of the locket… the word…

"Is that... is that your name?" She asked, leaning down to look towards the baby. "Is Kagome your name?"

"_Ahh ha, ha,"_ she giggled, smiling once more. Nabooru decided to take that as a yes.

"Well then, Kagome, I believe that this is yours." She placed the locket back into the basket and tried her best to conceal it within the blankets once more. Once she finished, she just chose to stare towards Kagome for a moment. "Well, what am I going to do with you?" Looking upwards, Nabooru glanced around her surroundings; there was no one in sight. Her right eye twitched. Knowing that she couldn't just leave the child out here all alone—her conscience wouldn't allow her to—Nabooru knew what she had to do.

Grudgingly getting up from the sand, she walked back towards where she had dropped her blade and slid it back into its proper sheath. She could feel Kagome's gaze on her as she did so, and with another sigh, she knelt back down to face the baby.

"Well, its looks like we both don't have much of a choice now, do we?" she said to Kagome, hoping that Kagome might understand. But all that she got was a confused baby stare. She smirked and rolled her eyes playfully. "Ahh, Kagome what will I do with you?" She murmured to herself as she then picked up the basket and held it with both hands.

"Well… I guess I've just answered my own question," she snorted. "You're coming with me." Out of the corner of her eye, she looked back towards the sack that was filled with her various unorganized items. She rolled her eyes once more, this time meaning it.

'_**Screw you, Ganondorf,'**_ she thought, starting to walk back towards the path. _**'I might have gone along with your stupid game, but I never said I would bring the items back with me.'**_ Smirking, Nabooru chuckled to herself and gazed down towards Kagome, who was looking rather tired. Nabooru could see that her eyelids were beginning to droop and looking heavy. Shaking her head, she easily pressed the basket closer towards her, and, with one hand holding it, reached for the blanket and used it to cover more of Kagome's body. Kagome responded to this by snuggling further into the blanket, liking what Nabooru was doing. Eyes shutting, Kagome was soon falling deep asleep… three, two, one…

"Kagome," Nabooru whispered, wanting to see if the baby had actually fallen asleep.

No response.

So she was asleep.

Without another word, Nabooru just clutched the basket once again with both hands and began to make her way down the path once more, this time with a new companion...

… one that no one in the Fortress would be expecting her to return with. _Especially_ Ganondorf.


	3. Kagome of the Gerudo

_**Kagome, the Huntress**_

_**Pairing: Link/Kagome eventually**_

_**Chapter Two: Kagome the Gerudo…**_

As daybreak broke near within the walls of the Gerudo Fortress, so did the whispers of the return of the second command in chief, Nabooru. No one had heard from her since the night before, when she had left for her mission. Worry was evident within the Gerudo Clan, for every single one feared that something bad might have happened to their female leader. Aveil, the one currently in command until Nabooru's return, sat idly at her desk, drumming her fingers against the hard wooden surface.

'_**Where could she have gone to? Her work shouldn't have taken this long.'**_ Biting her bottom lip, Aveil continued to increase the pressure she put on it until she tasted blood in her mouth. Hissing with displeasure, she shot up at a speed that caused the chair she had been sitting on to fall back and hit the floor. "Damn," she groaned, turning around to pick up the chair. "Stupid chair, you're such a piece of junk—"

"—Aveil," someone breathed, causing the current in command to come to a halt. Aveil's breath hitched and she slowly looked up, only to lock gazes with a pair of unmistakable topaz eyes, ones she knew could only belong to…

"Nabooru," she whispered, her lips instantly twisting upwards into a smile. Rushing over towards her friend, she was just about to throw her arms around Nabooru and pull her into a hug when the leader held up a hand in protest. Raising an eyebrow and placing a hand onto her hip instead, Aveil looked to Nabooru in confusion.

"What's wrong?" She asked curiously. "You're not injured, are you?"

"Far from it," Nabooru smiled, flashing her teeth. "I actually found something quite interesting." Nabooru brought the basket that she was currently holding in her arm closer and Aveil leaned inwards to get a better view.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"This," Nabooru whispered, removing the covering on the basket to reveal a small infant, who looked to be no more than a few weeks old. Aveil's eyes grew as wide as saucers and she looked back up towards Nabooru in shock.

"Where in the name of the Goddesses did you find the child?" She asked inquisitively.

"On my way back along the path," Nabooru said simply, walking into the room and placing the basket easily on the desk. "Mmm," the baby groaned, shifting in its sleep. Nabooru smiled and gazed towards the child in adoration.

Clicking her tongue, Aveil glanced back and forth from the sleeping child to Nabooru before shaking her head. "Don't tell me," she began, walking towards Nabooru—while making sure to have shut the door. "You're going to keep the child."

"Of course," Nabooru answered without a moment's hesitation, her eyes never leaving the child. "I just can't leave the child be now that I know of its existence."

"Ganondorf may not approve," Aveil said wearily, leaning against Nabooru's shoulder.

"Ganondorf's opinion doesn't matter in this," Nabooru said, titling her head against Aveil's. "He couldn't care if another child is raised within the clan. He couldn't care less."

"But if the child's male then he will," Aveil countered. "Most of the other Gerudo will disapprove of this, as well." She cast the infant a look and watched as it turned in its sleep. "What's the child's name anyway?"

"Kagome," Nabooru smiled, looking towards Aveil out of the corner of her eye. "I would presume that by that name, she's female." Aveil nodded her agreement.

"I agree it does sound female, but you cannot be sure."

"Still, even if the child is male, I'll still treat him the same. Gender matters less to me than any other Gerudo." And with that, Nabooru leaned over and slowly took the child out of the basket. Groggily, the infant opened up its eyes and began to survey its surroundings.

There was a sharp intake of breath from Aveil at this. "Oh… the eye color." Now this surprised Aveil, because she was not expecting the child to have a pair of bright amethyst eyes. Personally, she was expecting more of a dark brown or Hylian blue- something much more common.

"Yeah, it is surprising, isn't it?" Nabooru laughed, noting Aveil's surprised expression. "I was shocked too when I first saw the coloring. But somehow, for this child it just works." Pulling Kagome closer towards her, Nabooru began to walk towards the empty chair on the other side of the room. Sitting down, she made it so that Kagome's head was comfortably placed underneath her own. Humming a light song, Nabooru glanced towards Aveil and ushered her forward with a wave of the head.

"So how will you go about in telling everyone?" She questioned, watching Nabooru sing the child back to sleep.

"I'll call a meeting and announce it to all," she stated proudly, glancing down towards Kagome. "To speak of the newest member of the Gerudo Clan." Aveil's mouth hung ajar.

"Nabooru, really, think twice about this. I know how much you love children and all, but really, bringing an outsider into the Gerudo Clan, especially when the child might be male is a grave decision to make."

"Hush, Aveil," Nabooru chastised. "I more than aware of what will happen once I will call the meeting, and am still going to go through with this decision no matter anyone else- including you -may think."

Grinning, Nabooru slowly raised Kagome up into the air and smiled wide. Kagome blinked sleepily and looked towards Nabooru in what looked to be confusion. "From this day forth, you are now Kagome of the Gerudo."


	4. Healing Bonds

_**Kagome, the Huntress**_

_**Pairing: Link/Kagome (eventually)**_

_**Chapter Three: Healing Bonds**_

The Gerudo sat on her bed, hand running across the blade's fine make as she leaned against her bed's wooden frame. In her possession was her first sword. No less than an hour ago had Aveil arrived with it, surprising the young girl by bestowing it upon her.

"_You are of age, and should be allowed to have your own weapon."_ She could hear Aveil's words repeating in her mind, just as she could recall the older woman watching her fixatedly as she unwound the blade from its bindings; a thick silk-like material. _"I got this weapon quite some time ago, and had been saving it for the perfect occasion. I figured that with today and all, it would be the best gift to you, Kagome."_

Today… the day that marked the event when her mother, Nabooru, had found her and brought her back to the fortress…

The day which also marked when she became an honorable member of the Gerudos… And was also given a new family and a second chance at life…

_**Life…**_

_**Family…**_

She placed the blade down onto the bed, no longer able to find the want to examine it. Its exquisite craftsmanship no longer had her starry-eyed with glee, and its fine hilt no longer felt smooth. It was just a blade… her first real one, but nothing more.

She could hear her squeak and shake as she rose from it. It was an old bed, with old bedding and an even older pillow. Still, it was comfortable and did its job. It supplied her with a place to sleep and kept her warm when the summer evenings occasionally turned cool.

"It's just a bed… and it's just a sword."

She walked towards the door, intending to walk outside. As she gripped the handle, she felt something within her burning… a hard, painful sensation. She hissed with displeasure, clutching one hand against her stomach while using the other to open the door. With tears threatening to escape, she wandered out of the room, not bothering to shut it behind her.

"I need to find Mama…"

-o0o0o-

Nabooru exited from the training grounds, her face flushed and her breathing shallow. Beads of sweat rolled down from her face, glistening as the sun's hard, penetrating gaze fell down upon her.

"That was good." Her sword rustled and shook as she walked down the jagged, brittle path. Parts of it were in ruins or starting to break apart. The desert-like conditions and humidity were slowly wearing it away. "Like it does to everything else here," Nabooru muttered with a roll of her eyes.

Sauntering over towards the nearest entrance, she waved to her fellow crewwomen and walked inside, exhaling with a loud sigh. "Much better." With the sun's rays no longer beating her down into the earth, Nabooru felt much more at ease, and even refreshed. "Its amazing what the shade can do."

"… Mama, is that you?"

Instantly on alert, Nabooru's eyebrows shot up as she watched a young girl walk towards her. She had mid-waist hair tied back into a high ponytail, her arms and fingertips bound with white wrappings, and her outfit consisting of a short, amethyst shirt and matching pants. The shirt covered her entire torso, and the pants fell just below her ankles. Unlike any other Gerudo within the compound, she was **not **bearing an inch of uncovered skin in any sort of sexual or erotic way.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" It was then that she noticed the tears. Small, crystal droplets were rolling down from Kagome's eyes, staining her rosy cheeks. Without a second to spare, the older woman dashed towards the girl, kneeling down to reach her height. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" she asked, a frown adorning her face.

With a sniffle, Kagome glanced down towards her neck, her eyes locked onto a small, golden chain.

The locket…

It then dawned on Nabooru.

"I see." She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Touching her daughter's nose playfully, she stuck out of her tongue. "Is that what's bothering you, Kagome?"

Kagome did not reply, merely continuing to glance down towards the locket.

"Kagome," Nabooru sighed, pulling the girl into her arms. "Don't cry." With sniffles as her only answer, the second in command couldn't help but sigh. She got up from the ground, holding the girl in her arms as she started to walk down the stone tiled hallway.

"Kagome, Kagome… what am I ever going to do with you?" She questioned to herself.

Kagome peeked an eye open and glanced towards her mother, who smiled and winked back. Kagome burrowed her face within Nabooru's neck in an attempt to cover up her giggles. Feeling arms tightening around her, Nabooru merely pressed Kagome closer towards her, placing her head on top of the child's smaller one.

"Come on, silly… let's go to my room." Although she was famished, sweaty, and in dire need of rest, Nabooru could easily push all three factors away if it meant she could make her little girl smile.

-o0o0o-


	5. Auntie's Kindness

_**Kagome, the Huntress**_

_**Pairing: Link/Kagome (eventually)**_

_**Chapter Four: Auntie's kindness**_

"You're so weird, you know."

"Yeah, why is your skin white like a Hylian and not dark, like a true Gerudo?"

"And what's with the weird clothing?"

"Why do you dress like such an oddball?"

"**And what's with the eye color?" **Three young Gerudos chorused as they circled around Kagome like vultures. They were standing just beyond the outskirts of the fortress, busy nitpicking all of Kagome's differences between them.

With a hard expression forming across her face, Kagome stared to each of the girls. They looked like triplets- all sporting the same purple outfit and carrying the same small weapons, despite having no family relations. Their eyes clouded over with disgust, and the girls sneered towards her as though she were some malignant disease.

"Nothing is wrong with me!" She shouted as she placed her hands on her hips. Eyes narrowed and a fire burning inside of them, Kagome hissed at the three girls, taking a step forward. The other three tensed, not expecting their victim to act so… vulgar.

"You're so weird!" one of them taunted, sticking out their tongue.

"At least I don't repeat insults!" Kagome said, raising a fist. "You no good—"

"What's going on here?" All four froze over with fear as they watched an older Gerudo jump down from the nearing cliff. "Explain." She marched over towards them with her amber eyes narrowed.

"**Aveil."** They gaped, recognizing her instantly.

"Auntie Aveil," Kagome smiled and rushed towards her.

"Kagome," Aveil said, patting her head as she felt the girl hug her side. Her eyes softened as she stared towards Kagome. While the two weren't related by blood, a strong bond had begun to form between them throughout the course of time. Aveil had watched through the passing years as Kagome had grown from an infant into a young child, and had formed a strong attachment to the girl. She considered her the niece she never had, and cared dearly for her.

Kagome sighed, hugging her aunt's waist tight. Whenever she was around Auntie Aveil, she always felt very safe and secure. No one would dare try to do anything to her while Auntie Aveil was around.

"Now, you three, explain to me what was going on here." She crossed her arms over her chest as she stared towards each of the girls. Millions upon millions of little beads of sweat started to roll down from their heads, forming small pools of water underneath them. It was crystal clear that they were scared of what Aveil might try to do.

Smirking, Aveil could easily sense their fear, and knew that it would be best to put them in their place. _**'These girls should learn to never treat someone else differently, even if they aren't of the same race.'**_ She thought, highly disappointed by their actions.

Eyes now tightened, her smile grew larger, revealing her white teeth. As she took a step forward, Kagome backed away, already knowing what would occur.

"Listen girls," Aveil shouted, her tone no less than lenient. "You better not be bothering anyone else again, do you hear me?"

"… **Yes**," they mumbled quietly.

"What was that?" Aveil hissed, her voice rising.

"**W-WE UNDERSTAND A-AVEIL!**" They shrieked, their hearts seeming to shoot out of their mouths. Before Aveil could say another word, they scampered past her and Kagome, running back towards the base.

Kagome watched as they took off with rapid speed, seeming to head off quicker than a horses! Holding back a giggle, she inched back towards Aveil. "Thank you, Auntie," she said, her head titled back as she tried her hardest to stare up towards Aveil.

"You're welcome, Kagome," she smiled, kneeling down to reach her height. Ruffling her hair, she noticed how Kagome began to smile. Pleased by the sight, she stood up and offered her a hand. "Come on," she urged her. "It's nearing dinner, and your mother won't be pleased if she finds out that you haven't eaten yet."

"Oh." Never being one to enjoy displeasing her mother, she reached for Aveil's awaiting hand and began to lead her towards the mess hall.

Stunned by the sudden development, Aveil could not help but laugh as she noticed Kagome's cheeks tinting a light shade of pink. Laughter bellowing throughout the canyon, she allowed Kagome to lead her back towards the fortress, enjoying the moment she was spending with her niece.


	6. Infiltration

_**Kagome the Huntress**_

_**Pairing: Link/Kagome (eventually)**_

_**Chapter Five: Infiltration**_

The entire fortress was on high alert. All guards were on patrol, surveying every corner and crevice of the territory. Weapons were drawn and ready to be used, all itching to shed blood at the soonest opportunity. No more than two hours ago had it been revealed that a blond, green robed stranger was making his way into the canyon. Even with the bridge cut and dangling as just bits of string, he had managed to make the seemingly impossible jump as though it were nothing, and began to journey into the hostile desert.

The patrolling Gerudos, watching his display from the shadows, had been more than stunned and rushed back to report the news. Now all were on guard, waiting to spot the 'hero' and potentially deliver a fatal blow to him.

'_**I can't wait… yeah, right.' **_

Kagome sat alone in one of the various mess halls, watching as her fellow companions scampered and ran through the vicinity. Few passed through the actual mess hall, whispering several words of gossip to nearby Gerudos or younger ones. Nobody dared approach Kagome, however.

'_**Just like it's always been.'**_

Since day one, Kagome had always been considered an outcast by the rest of the clan. Few spoke to her, let alone acknowledged her. It was only when she was with her mother or Aunt Aveil that people actually spoke and paid attention to her.

'_**It's not like I don't understand, though.'**_

Kagome knew why she was different from the rest. She wasn't a true Gerudo by blood, and she did not share any past ties with anyone. For the most part, that was what made the younger Gerudos dislike her. She could remember when she was younger; how they would always be teasing and mocking her. Though it was sad, always having to play and train alone, she never let it get to her.

'_**Always being alone… and left out.'**_

Since most young Gerudo didn't feel the need to interact with her—besides for mockery—she had at one point tried to get along with the older Gerudo. That didn't end well, either. While they weren't rude to her openly, as compared to the children, they were judgmental and treated her coldly. They would either ignore Kagome or just walk away whenever she would attempt to speak with one.

'_**Exactly like they do now…'**_

She could remember how one passing night she had overheard a few of the older women talking and gossiping about her. Laughing about how she looked. Laughing about her mistakes. Like when she couldn't recall details about the proper history of the clan, or or tripping over her spear when trying to train.

It was a sad existence, knowing that barely anyone truly accepted her and even fewer liked her. Therefore, for the most part, she was forced into solitude, having no one else to play with and talk to but herself.

Nabooru wasn't always there to offer comfort, either. She was the first in command of the Gerudos, after all, and had a duties like training the clan, and offering prayers to their temple further out in the desert. Sometimes she would need to leave for long durations of time, unable to be there for Kagome when her daughter truly needed her.

'_**Mom always says that I could go with her… but I know that I'd just get in the way...'**_

Sighing, she leaned against the wooden table and propping her arms up onto it. She could hear few giggles behind her. Rolling her eyes, she could easily conclude that others were watching her.

'_**I'm not in the mood to be their source of entertainment right now.'**_

Rising up from her seat, she walked out of the mess hall. Swords strapped to her sides, she decided to head down towards the training grounds, thinking that it might be a good idea to release some frustration out on something.

'… _**Hold on.'**_ She stopped walking, noting a faint sound heard coming down the hall. Ears perked, she turned around watching as a blond and green blur dashed down the empty hallway.

'_**Green and blond? Isn't that… him, then?' **_the supposed hero who had wandered into the canyon. _**'No Gerudo wears green or yellow, so...'**_

"It's him," she breathed, "it has to be." Lips twisting upwards into a smirk, she glanced around, noticing that no one else was heading in her direction. Her smirk grew and her eyes narrowed as she reached for her blades. She had found the perfect vent for her frustrations.

"Wonderful."

* * *

Link blocked the Gerudo's attack, sword and shield both drawn. Blade pulled close to him and sweat pouring down his face, he grit his teeth in frustration, hissing. _**'She's good!'**_ He noted, taking a step back, legs shaking.

The Gerudo smirked from underneath her coil, watching as the hero took a wobbly step back. "What's the matter? Can't handle the pressure?" She taunted, eyes dancing with mirth.

"Like hell!" He shouted and spun around, his sword moving in a perfect circle. A blue aura reeking of magic formed around the Gerudo, causing her to scream in pain as his sword slashed away at her side. Jumping back, she threw down a key and snapped her fingers. A single cord fell from the ceiling, and she reached for it, climbing up as she disappeared into the rooftop.

Link, weapons still drawn, stood still as he stared up towards the hole in the ceiling. Unsure of what to make about the predicament, he slowly walked towards the lone key and bent down to pick up.

"Please, come and open the door!" The carpenter cried from the other side of the room, jumping up and down with glee. The Hero of Time had to hold back a shudder as he noticed how the man's fat rolls jiggled as he bounced and how tight his dirt stained clothes stuck to his… bulky body.

"I'm coming," he said, twirling the key on his index finger. Walking towards the cell, he never noticed as a lone figure dropped down the ceiling, landing onto the ground without a sound. The carpenter, too frightened to even try and warn the hero, watched with wide eyes as the female figure pulled out two twin blades and walked quietly towards the unsuspecting hero.

She made no sound or breath as she drew near, a large smirk etched onto her face.

"Okay, now let's get you out," Link laughed, inserting the key into the lock.

"B-behind… behind you!" the carpenter stuttered, backing away with fear. Link watched, puzzled, as the man leaned up against the wall, his face turning pale.

"What's wrong?" He questioned, head titled to the side.

"I think you should be asking that question to me, Hero." A voice purred as a sword neared his neck.

"Ehh!" standing still, Link turned his head to the side, meeting the gaze of yet another woman. Unlike the rest of the Gerudo he had seen thus far, though, she did not have the usual brown colored eyes and fiery red hair, but rather ebony locks and purple eyes. Her skin wasn't a dark tan, either, but a pale white. "Y-you're no Gerudo," he mumbled, surprised.

Her eyes narrowed, murder glistening in each. "I am one," she hissed, pressing her blade closer towards his neck. "Don't think otherwise, boy. Now, its time too eliminate you… Permanently."


	7. Fight to the Death?

**A/n: So... here's my first chapter of this story! (God, I hope I don't completely kill it) Thank you for reading up to this point!**

**_Kagome, the Huntress_**

**_Pairing: Link/Kagome eventually_**

**_Chapter Six: Fight to the Death?  
_**

* * *

**Recap**

"I think you should be asking that question to me, Hero." A voice purred as a sword neared his neck.

"Ehh!" standing still, Link turned his head to the side meeting with the gaze of a woman. Unlike the rest of the Gerudo he had seen thus far, she did not have the usual brown colored eyes and fiery red hair, but rather, ebony colored locks and amethyst-like eyes. Her skin wasn't a dark tan, either, but a pale white. "Y-you're no Gerudo," he mumbled, surprised.

Her eyes narrowed, murder glistening in each. "I am one," she hissed, pressing her blade closer towards his neck. "Don't think otherwise, boy. Now, its time too eliminate you… Permanently."

* * *

"Um... yeah. Why?" He asked, slowly reaching his shield arm over to his pouch.

"Why?!" She repeated, almost indignantly. "You are trespassing in the Gerudo Fortress- armed, no less- have been freeing our prisoners, and generally wreaking havoc!" the girl growled. "If I _don't _kill you here and now I'll be betraying my very duty as a proud Gerudo!"

Kagome was so absorbed in her rant she didn't notice the small blue and green ball in the intruder's hand as it slipped out of the leather bag. "I mean, how could anyone be good enough to beat even one of us and still be that dumb? Come on, really?"

He dropped it stem down on the floor. Even the slight friction caused by hitting the cold stone was more than sufficient to set off the delicate plant, and the 'fuse' began to burn steadily. In the same moment, Link jerked his head back, slamming it into her forehead. He ducked under the blade and kicked his feet behind him in a crescent shape to knock the Gerudo to the floor. Kagome's head hit the floor with a sharp crack. She didn't get back up.

Link kicked the active bomb over to the captive man's cell, watching it roll lazily over to rest against the iron door. He shrieked, running to the farthest corner of the tiny room possible in an attempt to get away from the explosive as he nearly clawed at the walls. It went off with a sound that left their ears ringing and the door hanging off its hinges. Small bits of smoking metal and debris were sent flying, none of them large enough to do any real damage, but would probably still hurt if they found an eye.

The carpenter, still screaming his lungs out, ran as fast as his short legs would let him. Which was not very. Now, don't think the hero of time is the kind of person who does everything in a cold, calculating way without much consideration of others- he was just _really _testy right now. Normally he has much more consideration for those he is attempting to save. But it might have been the desert heat, or it could have been the innumerable twists and turns of the place. It could even have been the random chicks dropping down from the ceiling and trying to skewer him alive whenever he entered a damn room, never giving him time to breath after beating one because another would immediately pop back up because they just _**didn't know when to**** quit.**_

Yeah, it was probably just the heat. How did these Gerudo handle it?

But speaking of Gerudo...

The oddity had yet to move, still unconscious. Maybe she had been hit harder than he thought... Oh, crap! Was she dead?! That would not be good for his hero record.

"Um... are you still alive?" He knelt down at her side, trying to judge whether the girl was breathing or not. When that didn't work, he poked her forehead, quickly withdrawing it in case she woke up and, you know, tried to kill him again or something. Her hand suddenly curled into a tight fist and her head moved to the side, jerking around like she was in a nightmare while beads of sweat poured down her face, hitting the floor with quiet splashes one after the other.

_'Is... is that my fault?' _Link wondered. _'Nah, couldn't be.'_

* * *

_She was surrounded with darkness. Darkness all around, but not everywhere. There were faces. Horrible faces, kind faces, sad faces, terrified faces all staring at her with unblinking eyes from breaks in the abyss. Each was saying something- something different- but she couldn't hear them. She couldn't hear anything. "I don't know!" she screamed at them. "I don't know what you want!" They began to move. Some got closer and others began to circle, and yet others twirled without visible patterns. Except for one. In the midst of everything her mother's face appeared, calm and serene. _'Find me, Kagome.'_ it whispered. _'Take whatever path you must, but come find me. I am unable to guide you very far right now, just know that when you arrive it will all be come clear...'

_The blackness brightened to show sand, golden and burning from the heat of the sun. Rocks were strewn about, shaped as if they had fallen off of some larger, grander piece. She thought there might even have been an oasis far off in the distance. And then she looked up. The gigantic, broken figure of some Gerudo leader long past stared back at her with hollow eyes, and suddenly Kagome knew where she was. _"The Spirit Temple: Pride and joy of the Gerudo since before we began. Magnificent, isn't it? You must hurry here at once, before I fade..." _The voice echoed as the image dissipated with the heat of the dessert. And then it all disappeared, leaving Kagome with only her thoughts, before those, too, vanished into the abyss._

**A/n: Oh my god I finally finished! ****Please let me know what you think of it ^^**


	8. Not Very Daring Rescue

**A/n: Thank you for the wonderful reviews, guys! I tried to put a bit more humor into this one, hope you like :3  
**

* * *

**_Kagome the Huntress_**

_**Pairing: Link/Kagome (eventually)**_

**_Chapter seven: The Start of a Journey _**

* * *

Oh, wow. She was kinda, like, screaming pretty loud. Should he do something? No, wait, she was stopping. The girl still wasn't moving, though. Was it possible she had some sorta skull fracture? It might even kill her if he just left her here. Should he...?

Whoa, whoa, whoa. No. Just... no. He was _NOT _taking some psycho Gerudo chic who, by the way, just tried to _kill _him and would probably try again as soon as she woke up on a long and perilous journey that could possibly take months. It was _not _happening.

Link groaned aloud. "So what the hell do I _do!?_" He nearly whined. _Nearly._'Cause heroes are too bad ass to whine. Like, ever.

Well, it didn't matter what he _would _have chosen, since close to a dozen of the thieves suddenly chose that moment to swarm into the room. Feet pounded and weapons hissed eagerly as they were pulled from sheathes, each piece of sharp metal cold and unforgiving as the eyes of its mistress.

But... they weren't looking at him. What were they so focused on? Each stared in disgust and putrid hate at the girl on the ground, as if _she _was the enemy instead of him. Was she? If she had snuck into the fortress disguised as one of them to steal a bit of treasure, this would make perfect sense. Except for one thing...

_"Y-you're no Gerudo," he mumbled, eyes narrowed, murder glistening in each. "I am one," she hissed, pressing her blade closer towards his neck. "Don't think otherwise, boy.__"_

Why had she reacted so passionately? It was as if she had heard the accusation before, from others.

Oh. From others. That's why.

A memory flashed before his eyes in varying shades of green and brown, stirring up long since crushed feelings of fear and self hatred.

_"What's wrong with your ears?"_

_"Why don't you ever act _normal_?"_

_"You gonna even _try_ and defend_ _yourself, freak?"_

_"Where's your fairy, loser?"_

_"You will _never _be one of us."_

_They screamed, kicked, scratched at him. He never moved, even when the vibrant crimson began dripping into the grass. He had learned that the harder you struggle the longer it lasted. And, of course, his immobility was always added into the taunts. He ran as soon as the Great Deku Tree let him and didn't look back. That's all he ever did: run. From the Kokiri, the castle grounds, and now he was about to do it again, from this girl. It was exactly the same._

He snapped out of his day-mare with a start, realizing that one had started to speak. "-ou gonna answer me, punk? I asked what you were doing here!"

_No, it wasn't the same this time. He wasn't going to let it be._

The thief moved forward angrily, grabbing his wrist and yanking him up hard enough that if it was anyone else their shoulder might have popped. That didn't mean it didn't hurt without, though. He cried out as she tightened her grip, intent on answers.

"Tell me. _Now_!" It was obvious this woman was not used to being disobeyed. _'Alright, then.'_ Link thought. _'Let's give her a show.'_

When the Gerudo began to shake him violently, the hero burst into tears. "I-I just heard a s-scary boomy noise, and then when I came up here the lady was on the f-floor and I didn't know what to do! P-please don't hurt me!" She had little to no experience with children, that was for sure. Her grip loosened slightly as she glanced at her companions for advice, who muttered and shrugged, not really getting it either.*

Link looked up at her with a gaze of complete innocence. "Please, miss, you have to believe me!"

She sighed, deciding the boy wasn't worth it. "Fine." The Gerudo released Link, but immediately the hero found a very sharp sword in his face. "But if we ever catch you around here again you won't ever leave- not even dead, decapitated, and torn limb from limb!"

He swallowed nervously. "Y-yes, ma'am!" Link scampered into the nearest corridor, only to stop and crouch down so he could peer around the corner at the thieves.

"Yui!" she snapped, still facing the unconscious girl. A single thief saluted quickly and walked over to the commander's side without question.

"Do something with _her_. And before you ask, I don't really care." Yui seemed reluctant to touch the other Gerudo, but still obeyed the order and picked Kagome up without much effort. "As you wish, Avaron."

Link watched as the two disappeared down the third corridor. Avaron barked something to the rest of her small army, and they followed as she walked back into the hallway they had come from. Peering around to make sure they had really left, Link scampered after '_her_.'

'_I just know I'm gonna regret this..._' he thought.

* * *

The same thought was mimicked only a few dozen meters away by the Gerudo called Yui, but in a very different way. If Nabooru or Aveil found out what she was doing... oh, Goddess of Sands, she would never walk again! Yui dragged her comrade through the sand, leaving behind a small trail on her way to the dessert gates. The uncaring guard waved her through without a second glance.

'_Just a few more yards...' _She had given up actually carrying Kagome a while ago, and now was simply pulling her along by the collar of her outfit. As she reached the top of the last hill, Yui felt like squealing with glee at the sight spread out before her. A river made only of quicksand wandered lazily across the dessert, curling as far as the eye could see, weaving farther than the mind could fathom, pulling harder than anyone could swim.

The Gerudo threw the other girl down none too gently in front of herself, then simply kicked the unconscious body in. Yui darted back to the Fortress without bothering to watch it actually hit the sand. She was in such a hurry a certain green figure was slip unnoticed from behind a wooden box. Link pulled out his hookshot and leaped in without a second thought, sinking quickly. The only thing still visible of the sinking girl by this point was her face, but he lunged towards her, grabbing for something, anything, under the sand. The blond was already waist high in sand himself by the time he managed to hook an arm around her waist and raise his hookshot.

The metal claw shot out from the device, latching onto the wooden box he had hidden himself behind only a moment ago with a thunk. Pressing the button on the grip that would cause the weapon to retract, Link felt himself being jerked forward slightly, but it seemed like he wasn't rising fast enough. If he lost some of the weight he was carrying it might be enough...

Cursing fit to shame a sailor, he sluggishly pushed his hand through the dense substance to his belt. Link unhooked his wallet, fat with all the treasures he had gained from adventuring, and chucked it to the opposite bank. Nothing happened. His arm slipped from the Hylian shield, and it was thrown like a frisbee to join the leather sack. The master sword, iron boots, and bomb bag followed.

He felt their bodies moving just a little faster with each loss and decided he could wait as long as they weren't actually going to die.

About five minutes of complete and utter boredom combined with the merciless rays of the sun pounding down on them, Link was finally close enough to shore that he was able to begin actually heave himself and Kagome out. She was placed just out of reach of the solid current as soon as Link retracted the hookshot and placed it back in his bag. He went to gather up his tossed items, stuffing them in the same place as the clawed weapon.

'_Guess I'd better call Epona, then.' _Link decided, pulling out a blue ocarina and looking fondly at it for a moment. The Hylian placed it to his lips, blew several sharp, clear notes, and settled down to wait for his mount.


	9. Of Startled Horses and Shrubs

**A/n: Wow. This took a while, didn't it? Sorry about that... ^^' **

* * *

**_Kagome the Huntress_**

_**Pairing: Link/Kagome (eventually)**_

**_Chapter eight: _**

* * *

When Kagome stirred in her sleep for what seemed like the first time in weeks, Link couldn't exactly deny the fact that he felt a slight surge of relief. Even if she did immediately fall off the horse. Let's just pretend that didn't happen, though.

Of course, Navi immediately began to emit girlish squeals of distress that ended up startling Epona even more than the fact that her passenger had just decided to leap from the saddle and take a nap in the dirt. Strange, strange creatures humans are, hm?

Back to the startling of the horse, though.

...

Wait, where'd the startled horse go? I could have sworn she was just here a- oh, there she is! Look, galloping away towards Lon Lon Ranch at incredible speeds, mane billowing majestically in the winds as she soars across the ground with an unfaltering stride!

Link could already tell that this was not going to be his best day ever.

* * *

If there was one thing he had to say about the Gerudo girl after carrying her limp form on his back for the better part of a hot, sunny day across the shadeless Hyrule field, it was that she squirmed in her sleep. A lot. She practically flailed every time he so much as took a step, and it was becoming more difficult to hold onto her than it would be to keep his grip on one of the Hylian Bass from the Fishing Hole at Lake Hylia. Aside from being slippery due to the spring water they were coated in, most were large enough that Link could barely wrap his hand around the juncture between the smallest part of the tail and the body.

After the next hour, he would conclude that she was indeed harder to hold onto.

She was muttering senseless phrases, too. Something about a strange thing called a 'derivative' and 'series expansions.' It might have been because there was no need for math of any kind as a ten year old of a race that played in the woods for eternity, but this sounded like absolute gibberish to him.

Even Navi -the world's greatest know-it-all- seemed a bit perplexed by the seemingly random string of numbers.

Link decided the girl had to be a witch.

And it made perfect sense! She was an obvious outcast among her own people and spoke spells in her sleep, not to mention those unnaturally beautiful purple eyes that were staring right at hi-

Oh.

Oh, crap.

Navi shrieked and darted for the safety of Link's hat, leaving the hero on his own.

The Gerudo girl continued to stare warily, sharp eyes following the slightest shifts in his stance.

Link wasn't even close to Navi's level of worry -considering her hands were currently tied behind her back and her ankles to each other- but the girl was a Gerudo witch. He couldn't be too careful. The elf took a moment to ponder the correct wording wording of his question, but was saved from the decision by his ever-so-faithful companion, who was considerate enough to choose that moment to come out from underneath the green fabric.

"Hey, listen! Link! Liiiink! LinkLinkLink! She's awake! Oh dear Din, oh dear Nayru, oh dear Farore! WHAT DO WE DO?!" Navi screamed, fluttering around Link's head wildly, only to stop rather abruptly after slamming into his ear at a high speed. Disorientated from the impact, she flapped several times in a futile attempt to keep aloft before flopping to the ground in a dramatic fashion, left wing twitching occasionally.

Link sighed and picked the small creature up gently, placing her back under his hat.

He focused his eyes on the Gerudo again, opening his mouth with the intent of apologizing for his fairy's volume...

...only to find the Gerudo girl gone.

When had that happened? This was only confirming his suspicions of witchcraft.

Then he just happened to notice a foot sticking out of a nearby shrub. She had merely crawled off while he was distracted.

So... not a witch? Well, better to ask than come to the wrong conclusion with all his internal ramblings.

Link strolled over the rather sparse plant, coming face to face with a scowl plastered onto the face of a certain and rather unhappy Gerudo the moment he peered between the branches. Thinking rationally, Link decided that the witch question could probably wait for a time when she didn't look so absolutely pissed.

"Am I going to have to drag you out of there or are you going to make this easier for yourself and come back on your own?"

She only glared.

"Should I take that as a 'no'?"

When he received no response for a second time, Link reached out and grabbed her ankle, then easily pulled the girl out of her leafy hideaway, her thrashing and struggling not making much of a difference.

Just to be safe, he withdrew a length of rope from one of the numerous pouches on his belt. After relocating his captive over to the nearby fence (one of the many scattered around Hyrule Field without an immediately visible purpose), he looped one end through the knot already around her wrists and secured it to the post.

Recognizing the fact that he wouldn't get any sort of reply from the Gerudo, Link simply sat down cross-legged several paces away and pulled out his map. The Deku Tree had given it to him seven years ago -moments before he set out to break the dark curse that had been placed on the wise old oak- and it had a very useful attachment in that it always displayed the user's whereabouts.

Link was disheartened to see that, despite the hours of walking after escaping the Gerudo Fortress, they were still a good half-day's walk from... pretty much anywhere, actually. They weren't staying at his house in the forest, then. An inn either at Kakariko Village or Castle Town was out too, and even if it were close enough he didn't fancy the idea of sleeping with the fish in Zora's Domain, especially with the way it had frozen over since Ganondorf's reign.

Luckily, though, Lon Lon Ranch was only maybe two hours away- just enough time to get there before nightfall. No sleeping outside for them tonight!

Of course, that was only if Malon and her father were still awake. Otherwise, he'd be locked out under the stars no matter what.

Giving a slight groan as his muscles protested their sudden use after the slight period of inactivity, Link stood and folded the aged paper before returning it to whatever pocket it had come from.

He looked over at the Gerudo and smirked, coming up with the beginnings of a rather brilliant plan to get her to say something.

* * *

**A/n: This is actually just part one, since I ended up splitting the chapter for three reasons:**

**1.) This was getting rather long.**

**2.) I wanted to get it out asap.**

**3.) I wrote this in my notebook first and am too lazy to type the whole thing all at once.**


	10. Never Trust a Gerudo

**A/n: Well... Guess who forgot to save this chapter and had to completely rewrite it? ^^' Good news is that I'm attempting to start regular updates, so there should be a new chapter next Saturday as well.**

In Kagome's opinion, anyone would be on edge if they were on the receiving edge of that kind of smirk.

She immediately tensed, expecting the worst.

She did **not** expect him to simply stand there and calmly ask, "Would you prefer to stay at an inn with me -in separate rooms, of course- or remain where you are for the night? I should give you fair warning before you decide, though. The stalchildren come without fail as soon as the sun sets, and I don't fancy your chances of surviving the hour tied up like that and without weapons. Gerudo or not, you'd be smart to choose the inn."

The boy-child was stupid, that she could say with almost complete certainty. Kagome was calling his bluff.

He obviously had no experience with psychology, interrogation, or mind games- all three of which Kagome had been schooled in at an early age. Otherwise his ploy to get her to speak wouldn't have been so transparent. Hopefully.

Either way, there was no chance he would leave her to fend for herself after going through the trouble of carrying her all this way. There was something he wanted from her, because if there wasn't he wouldn't have bothered.

At least, that was the conclusion she was drawing.

But maybe he was just insane and had kidnapped her on a whim?

He had said something about separate rooms -and as far as she could tell he hadn't been lying- so it couldn't be **that.**

So what could it be?

Well, there was no point in driving herself crazy trying to solve a mystery with such a few amount of clues. Kagome would continue looking for openings to escape, but until one showed up she'd be sticking around, so she'd find out sooner or later.

For now, she would settle with calling his bluff.

* * *

The girl didn't move.

Was she suicidal or something? Or maybe he was just that bad a liar...

Whatever the reason, Link had no desire to leave her there. Sure, his gamble hadn't worked, but there's no use crying over spilt milk.

He sighed and walked over to her, then unsheathed his sword and severed the rope securing her to the post with a sigh.

"Can I trust you not to run if I cut your hobble, or do I have to carry you again?" he asked carefully.

It took all of her Gerudo training not to start giggling right then and there. **Trust her?** It was just too funny!

Poker face barely intact, she faked a brief moment of hesitation before nodding once.

Link smiled brightly -**stupidly, **she thought- and knelt down to undo the ties around her ankles.

She was gone before they hit the dirt.

Link swore uncharacteristically before giving chase, but they were almost dead even in terms of speed, and she had a lead.

This is one of the very few times where Navi will actually make herself useful. Watch closely now- it may never happen again!

The fairy launched herself out from under Link's hat, and the Gerudo found a bright ball of blue light in front of her eyes not two seconds later. Not expecting this -Who would?- Kagome found herself startled enough to trip over her own feet.

Hands still tied behind her back, she was unable to stop her fall and went down hard, tumbling end over end several times before coming to a rather ungraceful stop.

Before the disorientated girl could even begin to try to stand, Link was behind her. He drew his sword for a second time, and Kagome was unconscious again.

He had butted her over the head with the hilt of his sword.

Navi was unable to do much more than stare at the young man with an expression of slight horror.

"Link, did you really just hit her?!"

He tilted his head, an expression of confusion clear on his face. "Um... yes? There was not much else I could have done in order to prevent her from attempting to escape again."

"You're an idiot."

* * *

**A/n: So how would you guys feel if Dark Link showed up somewhere along the lines?**


End file.
